emilyrosebooks's reviews
595 reviews

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William L. Shirer

challenging informative slow-paced

3.5

This book is not for the faint of heart and can be very dry and dull at times, but there has never been a better description of the Third Reich and Hitler's genius rise to power and political intuition. The fact that he is evil is of no question, but seeing how things got so out of hand and how he manipulated and out maneuvered everyone for so long. It was his own hubris that brought him down actually, and seeing his breakdown and delusions catch up to him was really fascinating. I highly recommend to anyone who is a real deal WWII history nerd. Otherwise, probably skip.

The Absolutist by John Boyne

emotional sad medium-paced

5.0

If you want your heart torn up and chewed up and spit out and stomped on, this is it. The utter gut-wrenching pain in this book is what makes it an absolute gem. Absolutely recommend to anyone who likes to be emotionally damaged by books. 

The Fury by Alex Michaelides

funny mysterious fast-paced

3.0

I will give it to this book that I was definitely entertained, but I would not say it is overly suspenseful or thrilling. I knew "whodunit" before the second half, but the entertainment for me was the roundabout way to get there. It feels like a game of Clue almost. I was aggravated by the narrator because there were things from other characters' points of view that the narrator had no business knowing, and the flimsy explanation of this in the beginning did not make it feel right. I think this would make a better movie than a book for what it is worth. 

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

Oh oh oh! I loved this!!! All tense and dark and mysterious, with what felt like supercharged and somehow darkly romantic intimacy. A moody gothic fiction that almost seems like it will be an intertwining of stories, but turns out to have twists and turns and enough suspense at the end to keep the pages turning!! 

The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge by Michael Punke

adventurous dark slow-paced

3.5

I don't know why but I love this book so much, it is such a dark rage that burns inside Hugh Glass, that just keeps burning and burning and is frankly the reason he stays alive for so long against all odds. It makes me think about the strength of the human spirit when there is some passion to live for. But Hugh Glass is also blinded by this rage, he loses sight of what is important and passes on opportunities that could make his life better, all in order to exact revenge.   The fictionalized story of the real Hugh Glass is so entertaining, I couldn't put it down. 

The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom

fast-paced

4.0

Mitch Albom tackles the question of Heaven again, and I just love it. This is a story about redemption and faith and whether the ends justify the means. I really enjoyed it, even if I am not a Christian who believes in God traditionally speaking. 

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

3.0

Honestly, I didn't really like this book most of the way through. I stuck with it because of Kasha, but the other two characters were unlikeable and outright horrid I thought. I am glad I finished, but I also saw there are sequels but I'm definitely not interested. 

War by Sebastian Junger

adventurous challenging emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

4.0

The Brothers Bulger: How They Terrorized and Corrupted Boston for a Quarter Century by Howie Carr

challenging dark informative

3.5

This was a fascinating read, as it outlines the corrupt Boston underworld and politics of the Bulger era. I remember Whitey's ultimate capture, but reading this was eye opening as to the real significance of it. I found it a bit hard to follow, as it wasn't exactly sequential, but it grouped events together to help them make sense. Also, every Irishman with all the same names make it difficult to keep track of some of the players, but ultimately it is enough to understand the corruption and what it might have been like to cross paths with one of the Bulger-brothers. 

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

adventurous emotional medium-paced

5.0

This reimagined story of the life of Jesus had he had a wife is so creative and thoughtful and absolutely brilliant. Ana, Jesus' wife, is bold and daring and *if* she were real, would probably be considered the mother of feminism. Stunning novel!